Igal יִגְאָל

Igal, the son of Joseph, is mentioned in Num.13.7 as one of the twelve scouts sent by Moses to explore the land of Canaan. He was chosen as the representative from the tribe of Issachar.

In the second year after the Israelites had left Egypt, God commanded Moses to send men to explore the land of Canaan, which He had promised to give to the Israelites (Num.13.1-2). Moses selected twelve men, one from each of the twelve tribes of Israel, to undertake this mission. Igal was selected to represent the tribe of Issachar.

The twelve scouts were instructed to explore the land, assess its fertility, and gather information about the inhabitants and their cities. After forty days, they returned with their report, bringing back samples of the land's produce, including a cluster of grapes so large that it had to be carried on a pole between two men (Num.13.23-25).

However, ten of the scouts gave a discouraging report, emphasizing the strength of the inhabitants and the fortifications of their cities. Only Caleb and Joshua, representing the tribes of Judah and Ephraim, respectively, encouraged the people to trust in God and take possession of the land (Num.13.30-33).

As a result of the negative report, the Israelites rebelled against God and refused to enter Canaan. Consequently, God declared that the generation that had left Egypt would not enter the Promised Land, with the exception of Caleb and Joshua (Num.14.20-24).

Although Igal's specific role in the scouting mission is not elaborated upon, his inclusion in the list of scouts highlights the importance of the twelve tribes in the early history of Israel and their participation in significant events such as the exploration of Canaan.